Shubunkin Oddity

"Otto Pylot" wrote in message
...
In article 1_G6e.6679$xL4.2247@attbi_s72, George
wrote:

"Otto Pylot" wrote in message
...
We installed our pond last July. 1200 gallons, 10x12x2, with a vigouous
4' waterfall meandering down a 6' stream. Lots of rocks with lots of
places for fish to hide. Decent plant coverage with water poppies and
parrot feathers plus a few odds and ends. Water is clear with a hint of
algae. 4 shubunkins (2 "white" and 2 "spotted") and mosquito fish too
numerous to count. The shubunkins have grown quite a lot since last
July.

Hmmm. 10'x12'x2' = 240 ft^3 = 1795.32 gallons. Just so you know

The 1200 gallons was approximate. I know I didn't make that very clear.
The shape is not rectangular and it is not a uniform 2' deep
throughout.


Here's the oddity. About a month ago we noticed that one of the spotted
shubies was missing. A few days later he(she) re-appeared. The
following day, it was gone again. The next day, we watched the other
spotted one go into one of the rock caves. It never came out as far as
we know and it has been almost 2 weeks now since we've seen either one.
The two white ones seemed to get very agitated and chased each other
around the pond more than normal. Then they went into the rock caves
and were gone for a day or two. The other day we watched them
tentatively poke their noses out of the caves and then dash around the
pond and go into the rock caves on the other side. Whenever they came
out, they would always dash around like they were "afraid". They'd eat
and then hide. Today, they were just cruising around the pond like
nothing had ever happened and all was well. We still haven't seen the
two spotted ones. So, did we have a predator (bird) that selectively
ate the two spotted ones and freaked-out the two white ones, are the
two spotted ones "hibernating or incubating" in the caves, or did they
just go in there and die? This is our first season with the pond and
fish so we're not too sure what to expect. Thoughts or suggestions
would be appreciated.

--

Watch for babies in coming next weeks. Your fish may also show up. If not,
suspect predators.

I hope you're right. I know the shubunkins are supposed to lay eggs
on the plants but I have no idea what's grown, if anything, in the
caves.

--
Deja Moo: I've seen this bull**** before.

My address has been anti-spammed.
Please reply to: replacing invalid with sonic.

Shubukins are a type of goldfish. My two oldest and largest goldfish hid in the
rocks around the waterfall about this time last year. They finally came out
about 1 week later, with the female quite battered. About a week or so later I
noticed dozens of tiny babies hanging around the rocks around the waterfall.
Eight have survived (which is more than enough). One is a quite beautiful white
and orange (the pattern reminds me of a Pinto horse) with black fringes on
grayish-white fins, while one is solid white (blonde?). The adult male was
white and gold (orange) with a long, frilly caudal fin, while the female was
gold (orange) with a little bit of white on the caudal fin. The rest are solid
orange.